Hilda and the Troll (#1 PB)

This brand new paperback edition of Hilda and the Troll offers a fresh chance to read the very first outing in Luke Pearson's ever-popular series of magical Hilda adventures.

Hilda can never sit still for long without setting off on another adventure. She can't resist exploring her enchanting world--a place where trolls walk, crows speak, and mountains move. The magic and folklore of the wild, windswept North come alive in this book about an adventurous little girl and her habit of befriending anything, no matter how curious it might seem.

While on an expedition to illustrate the magical creatures of the mountains around her home, Hilda spots a mountain troll. As the blue-haired explorer sits and sketches, she slowly starts to nod off. By the time she wakes up, the troll has totally disappeared and, even worse, Hilda is lost in a snowstorm. On her way home, Hilda befriends a lonely wooden man, and narrowly avoids getting squashed by a lost giant.

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Reviews

"Plain smart and moving. John Stanley's Little Lulu meets Miyazaki."Guillermo Del Toro Praise for Hilda and The Black HoundThough definitely an underachiever when it comes to merit badges, Hilda s broad curiosity and willingness to stand up for the undergnome will make her a winner in most readers eyes. "Kirkus Reviews" In gorgeous, oversize pages filled with warm jewel tones, Pearson s varied panel layouts and detailed, purplish backgrounds artfully carry emotional weight and subtle humor in equal measure Every volume of this fairy-tale-adventure series is a must-have."Booklist" Pearson has mastered both the gentler aspects of creating a compelling children s character along with the art of conjuring an exciting, kinetic comic book adventure. The fourth book in the Hilda series is the best, as the character is now established enough on the page to allow for a greater exploration of her environment. The design, the use of color and especially Pearson s line are all impeccably beautiful without being slick. "The Comics Journal" One thing is for certain: if you re like me and have the previous books already, then the good news is that Black Hound is an excellent addition to the series. And if you ve never checked out a Hildafolk book before, then the better news is that Black Hound is a great place to start. A shift from the previous books in style but not losing an iota of the established, accessible and (most importantly) friendly tone, Hilda and the Black Hound is exactly the type of comics we need to see more of."Multiversity" [Hilda's world] is... a glorious, exciting if also rather menacing placeone children will be eager to enter. It's also visually arresting: exuberant and lively and faintly Miyazakian." New York Times" Hilda is the little girl. And this is her folk tale. And pretty much everything you need to know about how good this is is there on that absolutely gorgeously delightful cover. By the end of it, you ll have exactly the same smile as Hilda has. "Forbidden Planet" For adults ... Pearson s measured storytelling ... and detailed, imaginative artwork make Hilda and the Bird Parade an absolute treat to dive into. It s hard to imagine a better all-ages comic will be published this year. "Slate" Very enjoyable, it's imaginative and fun for kids and adults too! Renata Liewska, author of bestselling "The Quiet Book" With the Hildafolk series, Luke Pearson has carved himself a unique niche in the UK comics scene: a successful all-ages graphic novel series and it is much deserved. It is clearly the vision of one man and Hilda and the Black Hound is another thrilling and alluring instalment to Pearson s signature series.- "Broken Frontier" A riot of colour and animast magic "The Times" A beautifully drawn (literally and figuratively) comic"Observer" The Hilda books follow the exploits of a smart, blue-haired girl who lives in a village called Trolberg with her mom and her antlered pup named Twig. Pearson expertly mixes fantasy elements with familiar everyday stufffor instance, in this volume, Hilda joins the scouts and has trouble completing the tasks she needs to do in order to earn her badges. "Mental Floss" "Hilda and the Black Hound" is filled with magic, in all senses of that word."Comics Bulletin" These are gorgeous books and Flying Eye, like Nobrow before it, continues to be a publisher to watch. The Hildafolk books all feel like they re children s books for the ages as soon as you read them and Hilda and the Black Hound is a beautiful addition to the series."Comicsgirl" There s a subtlety and sophistication to the Hildafolk books; pauses and quiet panels speak volumes to what a character is thinking or feeling. While Pearson s art style could be described as simple cartooning, he does what masterful illustrators do, express a lot of emotion and mood with few, clean lines and rich color. You get incredibly detailed and powerful panels and pages which never feel cluttered, unless they re intended to be. These are truly beautiful books and Hilda s charming sense of wonder is appealing to everyone, no matter how old or young."The Mary Sue" This is perfection in sixty-four pages. Hilda is brave, resourceful, compassionate, capable of epically screwing up, and always does things with the very best of intentions; in other words, totally human. Charmingly and enticingly illustrated, the icing on the cake is the fact that Pearson never dumbs things down for his audience. The resulting dry wit found in both text and illustrations is as appealing to adults as it is to kids."Foreword Reviews" The attractions of the Hilda series are quite easily surmised. There is the clever knitting together of various northern European traditions, the artist s increasing competency with page composition, his good ear for simple but humorous dialogue, his pleasing character designs, and his consistent and attractive line which has achieved a fine flowering in The Bird Parade and The Black Hound. -"The Hooded Utilitarian" Hilda is a curious, intelligent, and adventure-seeking protagonist. Fans will delight in her adventures, and Pearson s lush art is gorgeous without being crowded.-"School Library Journal" This modern twist on Mary Norton s Borrowers stories is full of fanciful details, and Pearson s imaginative depiction of space turns ordinary surroundings inside out.-"Good Comics For Kids" The Black Hound takes the strongest elements of the art styles from all of the previous Hilda books and combines them into one really wonderful volume of art. [] the adventure here is entertaining and moving.-"Comics Alliance" The stories are never what you expect and I'm always surprised, amazed, and in love all over again. -"Jean Little Library" Praise for Hilda and the Bird ParadeOne of the Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2013!"School Library Journal" "A joyous riot of animist magic"The Times" "A beautifully drawn (literally and figuratively) comic"The Observer" "The attractions of the Hilda series are quite easily surmised. There is the clever knitting together of various northern European traditions, the artist s increasing competency with page composition, his good ear for simple but humorous dialogue, his pleasing character designs, and his consistent and attractive line which has achieved a fine flowering in The Bird Parade and The Black Hound. "The Hooded Utilitarian" "Pearson has hit his stride with this world. The book has the same wonderful color scheme as the previous and maintains similar tonal shifts as well, with warm colors for cozy home scenes and cool colors for outdoor night scenes. The lettering is crisp and strong."Comics Alliance" Praise for Hilda and the Midnight Giant "[Hilda's world] is... a glorious, exciting if also rather menacing placeone children will be eager to enter. It's also visually arresting: exuberant and lively and faintly Miyazakian." New York Times"Hilda is the little girl. And this is her folk tale. And pretty much everything you need to know about how good this is is there on that absolutely gorgeously delightful cover. By the end of it, you ll have exactly the same smile as Hilda has." "Forbidden Planet" For adults ... Pearson s measured storytelling ... and detailed, imaginative artwork make Hilda and the Bird Parade an absolute treat to dive into. It s hard to imagine a better all-ages comic will be published this year. "Slate"very enjoyable, it's imaginative and fun for kids and adults too!" Renata Liewska, author of bestselling "The Quiet Book"If you know a young comics reader, or a a child that you d like to turn into a comics reader especially if they love fairy-tale-like stories this would be a great place to start them. Hilda isn t a superhero, but she sure saves the day." -Erica Friedman for "Okazu"Pearson s whimsical artworka cross between Lucky Luke and Miyazakicreates a magical spell of a mysterious world of hidden creatures, and the production of the book make it a treasure in itself. The storycomparable to the Adventures of Polo series by Regis Faller and Copper by Kazu Kibuishinever flags in imagination or wonder"Publishers Weekly"If you haven't heard of Luke Pearson, buddy, you have been hiding under a particularly uninteresting rock this past year."The Comics Bureau"Pearson's latest comic, the spell-binding contemporary fairytale Hildafolk, feels just as at home in publisher Nobrow Press' visually intelligent catalogue as it does between good old fashioned yarns like Bone and The Adventures of Tintin in my bookcase." "Martin Steenton, Avoid the Future"If what you re looking for is great storytelling, humour, adventure and imagination then what are you waiting for? Come on in, the water s fine." The Illustrated Forest"Midnight Giant is sad, but packs probably the most weighty punch of the series as far as real-life lessons for kids. [] It s less a moral about transitioning from childhood to adulthood than it is about a transition from the naivete of early childhood (Santa Claus, anyone?) into the more realistic stages of later childhood. It s also about what matters most possessions or people?"Comics Alliance"

Author description

Luke Pearson, author of the phenomenally popular Hilda series and Everything We Miss, has fast become one of the leading talents of the UK comics scene, garnering rave reviews from The Times of London, The Observer and the prestigious Times Literary Supplement. Hilda and the Midnight Giant was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of 2012's top 25 Children's Picture Books and won the Young People's Comic Award at The British Comic Awards. Luke Pearson will be the featured cartoonist on "Slate" in April of 2013. He is also a frequent contributor to a number of comic anthologies in the UK as well as self-publishing a number of small-run homemade comics.